Unfolding the World Within

Week 2 – The Habit of Thought

“We become what we think about” – Earl Nightingale, the Strangest Secret

Marcus Aurelius, the great Roman Emperor said: “A man’s life is what his thoughts make of it.”

and Ralph Waldo Emerson, “A man is what he thinks about all day long.”

What do you think about all day long? More importantly why? I am not talking about what you have to do at the moment or your next appointment but rather what is in your head just below cognitive awareness? Some call it the little voices, worries of things that may or may not happen, stressing on something that you really have no control over anyway. These are the thought habits that we do not pay attention to and can cause us the most damage because this is what we think about all day long.

This week as we go deeper into The Master Key System I am fascinated and thrilled at what I am beginning to understand. We can change how we think at the subconscious level and thereby create our life anew with purpose and direction of our own choosing! Now I can relate directly to what Marcus Aurelius said and focus my mind so that “My life is what my thoughts make it!” This is exciting but takes work. I have old habits, habits of thought and action that must be reviewed, assessed, and rebuilt.

Here is a passage that struck me: – The subconscious mind cannot argue controversially. Hence, if it has accepted wrong suggestions, then the sure method of overcoming them is by the use of a strong counter suggestion, frequently repeated, which the mind must accept, thus forming a new and healthy habit of thought and life, for the subconscious mind is the seat of habit.-

The Subconscious mind is the seat of HABIT! And it is our thinking that makes it so. That’s what I mean by the Habit of Thought. But there is more:

-That which we do over and over becomes mechanical; it is no longer an act of judgement, but has worn its deep grooves in the subconscious mind. This is favorable for us if the habit be wholesome and right… –

So, What do you think about most? What is on your mind? Check in with yourself and see if you are worried about money, grades, health, creating negative futures by worrying about things that have not happened yet and may not happen at all.

A thing is neither good nor bad but that our thoughts make it so (forgive me as I paraphrase and/or miss quote Shakespeare here).

Habit can make or break you. If you have a bad habit like smoking, or eating junk, or drinking too much. Most of the time you know it and think about how to change like new years resolutions and such. But what of habits you are not aware of? These are habits of thought. These are why we react or take certain actions over others. Our Habitual way of thinking has created belief patterns and paradigms that dictate how we act– WITHOUT THINKING! We just do it because “That’s the way I am” or “Oh, I just seem to always do that”

Isn’t it nice to know that we can break the habit and create a new paradigm! Now go and Think on purpose, focus your thoughts to create the life you want and as Earl Nightingale said “Become what you Think about!”

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One thought on “Week 2 – The Habit of Thought”

It’s a fascinating process, right, Mark? I am enjoying it as well, and as you noted, there are so many others who have said the same things as Haanel says in his book. Fascinating and exciting all in one!